Bring Her Back: A visceral descent into grief and gore

Imagine cutting fruit and serving it to the person sitting in front of you, and the moment you look away, you find him eating the fruit with the knife, almost cutting his mouth up to his nose. Scary, right? Well then, brace yourself for the new horror, where you will try to cover your face in fear, but will you be able to escape?

Danny and Michael Philippou, the twin brothers who vaulted to fame with their 2022 debut, 'Talk to Me' have returned with their latest film, 'Bring Her Back', cementing their reputation as fearless provocateurs of the horror genre.

The gore is relentless, not just for effect but to push the viewers to a breaking point. With barely a moment of peace, it keeps things tense and deliberately messy. You may question the story's coherence, but not its commitment to chaos. 

It grabs you by the throat and doesn't loosen its grip. The body horror is particularly effective, with practical effects creating moments that had audiences groaning in unison.

Released on 29 May 2025, in Australia by Sony Pictures and the following day in the US by A24, this supernatural psychological horror film, written by Danny Philippou and Bill Hinzman, is a brutal, emotionally raw exploration of grief, family, and the macabre. 

Clocking in at 104 minutes, the movie is a relentless descent into a domestic nightmare that will last long after the lights come up. But while its audacity is undeniable, the film occasionally stumbles under the weight of its ambitions, leaving some questions unanswered and emotions unearned.

The screenplay centres on Andy (Billy Barratt) and his younger, partially sighted step-sister Piper (Sora Wong), two orphans thrust into the care of Laura (Sally Hawkins), an eccentric former counsellor with a tragic past. The story begins with a gut-punch: the siblings discover their father's lifeless body, a scene rendered with suffocating intimacy that sets the tone for the film's unrelenting tension. 

As they move into Laura's sprawling yet claustrophobic suburban home, joined by a mute foster boy named Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips), the siblings uncover unsettling truths about their new guardian's intentions. 

The plot takes its time, slowly building tension and a sense of unease before hitting with some intense horror moments. The mystery keeps people talking afterwards, but at times, it can feel a bit too vague, especially when it comes to the supernatural aspects, which don't get as much attention as the emotional side of things.

The cast is a triumph, with each actor delivering performances that elevate the material. 

Billy Barratt's Andy is a study in quiet devastation, his boyish charm masking a deep well of insecurity as he grapples with his role as Piper's protector. 

Sora Wong, as Piper, has her vulnerability tempered by a fierce resilience that makes her a standout.

Jonah Wren Phillips' Oliver, with his glassy eyes and minimal dialogue, is a haunting presence, his physical performance stealing scenes with an unsettling intensity that borders on mythic. 

But it's Sally Hawkins who anchors the film with a career-defining turn as Laura. Known for warm, empathetic roles, Hawkins subverts expectations, crafting a villain who is equal parts pitiful and petrifying. 

In horror movies, the cinematography makes or breaks the film, and in Bring Her Back, Aaron McLisky does justice to the theme with his work.

The house in the movie is both sprawling and suffocating, and is shot with a mix of wide angles and tight close-ups, creating a disorienting sense of entrapment. 

Water, a recurring motif, is used to devastating effect. Whether gushing from a shower in a moment of tragedy or absent from an eerily empty pool, it becomes a symbol of emotional and physical desolation. 

However, the film's ambition to blend supernatural horror with emotional depth sometimes results in an uneven tone, with the cult elements feeling like an afterthought compared to the character-driven drama. 

The climax, though horrific, wraps up too neatly for a story that thrives on ambiguity, potentially undermining its emotional weight. 

Additionally, the film's pacing can feel sluggish in the first act, taking too long to establish its stakes. It doesn't earn the depth of emotion it wants to achieve, as the gore overpowers the narrative's heart.

For those brave enough to face its horrors, Bring Her Back is a haunting reminder that grief can be as monstrous as any supernatural force.